Fluid conveying apparatus



Nov. 14, 1967 F. BENDER FLUID CONVEYING APPARATUS Filed June 20, 1966 @4f/zege@ Arm/@wir United States Patent O 3,352,248 FLUID CONVEYING APPARATUS Lloyd F. Bender, Rte. 2, Hayward, Wis. 54843 Filed `lune 20, 1966, Ser. No. 558,703 4 Claims. (Cl. 10S-236) This invention relates to dairy equipment or the like and more particularly to fluid handling equipment for conveying uid, such as milk or orange juice for example, and which can be cleaned-in-place. Equipment for handling fluids of this character must comply with rigid sanitary laws and must be capable of complete cleaning.

One aspect of the present invention is to provide eilicient fluid conveying apparatus which provides fast flow, has no moving parts (except for a single check valve which is actually located in the fluid flow) and is readily and completely cleaned-in-place. Furthermore, the present apparatus handles the fluid gently, whi-ch is important in the case of milk, to prevent undue churning which would tend to turn the milk into butter; on the other hand, when the apparatus is used for in-place-cleaning, the cleaning solution is caused to completely cover and wash the entire inner surface of the vessel.

The present invention is in the nature of an improvement over the subject matter of my co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 464,628, filed June 17, 1965, entitled Fluid Conveying Apparatus, which issued on Sept. 20, 1966 as Patent No. 3,273,514. While the apparatus of said co-pending application is very satisfactory under most circumstances, when a particularly lengthy milk line is involved, the frictional forces developed in the line which resist fluid flow, are enough to prevent suiciently fast flooding of the check ball chamber to provide for positive and rapid fluid flow checking action.

Therefore, more specifically, the present invention provides fluid checking apparatus of the above type which provides sufllcient time lag or retardation of the fluid flow so as to permit proper check ball action. Furthermore, and importantly, the improved apparatus also performs another and important function, namely, distributing the fluid evenly around the interior walls of the conduit and vessel so as to prevent undue churning of a fluid, such as milk, an-d also insures complete washing and coverage of said interior walls.

A more specific object of the invention contemplates the use of a disc having a series of apertures circumferentially located adjacent the interior walls of the inlet conduit. The arrangement and total cross-sectional area of these apertures are such, relative to the inlet supply nipple, that efficient and effective checking action is obtained, as is thorough cleaning of the vessel, and all regardless of the position of the apparatus.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as this disclosure progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational View of a fluid conveying apparatus made in accordance with the present invention, certain parts being shown as broken away and in section for clarity;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view of the check valve apparatus shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3 3 in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional view of the dump valve shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring in Igreater detail to the drawings, the fluid vessel 1 is spherical in shape and is made of transparent material such as glass which contributes toinsuring cleanliness.

Dump valve means The vessel has an integrally formed fluid discharge nipple 2 at its lower end to which is attached a plastic,

thick walled, flexible conduit 3. Conduit 3 has a oneway valve 4 at its lower end and located closely adjacent the vessel. The end 5 of the conduit 3 is cut square, that is, the end 5 is cut at 90 degrees to the axis of the conduit, and forms a valve seat for a shiftable valve element which takes the form of a plastic ball 6. When the vessel is subjected to vacuum, the ball seals against the conduit end, as shown by the broken line position, thus closes the valve.

When the vessel is subjected to atmosphere, the ball 6 drops against the stop pin P.

A pair of grooves 7 and 7 are formed on the periphery of the conduit for defining the position of a rigid, metal sleeve 8 on the conduit. That is to say, sleeve 8 has a bead 9 formed around its interior and which can set in either groove 7 (as indicated by the broken line in FIGURE 4) or in groove 7 as indicated by the full line position.

The sleeve can be inserted in either of two positions on the flexible conduit to accommodate vessels having different capacities and consequently different suction pressures at which the ball will close the valve. Generally, the larger vessel will require a longer stroke or travel of the ball in order to close the valve. This adjustable position of the conduit in the sleeve can be readily selected.

The internal shape of the conduit 3 within sleeve 8 and the internal shape of sleeve 8 itself is important. The sleeve 8 has a cylindrical portion Sa which extends from its inlet end to about groove 7'. From groove 7 to the point indicated at 8b, the sleeve is formed as a long, gradual taper which diverges in a direction of fluid flow. The central portion of the sleeve, from point 8b to 8c is formed with a straight wall, that is, as a cylinder. Then the diameter reduces abruptly and the remaining portion 8d is again cylindrical.

It will be noted that the sleeve is formed with an internal portion which tapers and diverges in cross section in the direction of fluid discharge flow. This long and gradual tapering portion is located at least partially ahead of the valve seat formed :by the conduit end 5, regardless of the selected position of the sleeve on the conduit. It should also be noted that the portion of the flexible conduit within the sleeve bears outwardly tightly against the interior wall of the sleeve, forming an internal taper `and forming a tight, sealing engagement with the interior wall of the sleeve. This construction gives a venturi effect and results in a dump valve of considerably increased capacity over prior art valves of this nature.

The rigid sleeve insures that the conduit will not swell out of shape when its temperature increases, due for example, to a hot solution in the conduit. Good seating of the ball is thus assured, but at the same time the advantages of a flexible conduit are retained.

Another flexible conduit 9 is attached to the end of sleeve 8 for conducting fluid to a tank T. This flexible conduit 9; may be of considerable length and may sag or be relatively low during certain portions of its length. Nevertheless, the check valve 4 will function properly and rprevent lfluid from being drawn back into the vessel from conduit 9', because the valve 4 is located adjacent the lower end of the vessel.

Inlet means A fluid inlet conduit 10 is located at the upper side of the vessel and is made separable to permit assembly of the parts and facilitate cleaning, inspection and repair. The uppermost end 11 of the -conduit is of reduced diameter, and receives the fluid supply conduit 12. Fluid is thus delivered to the vessel from any source, such as a conventional milk line in a barn or a tank of fluid.

A suitable bracket 14 secures the vessel at any desired height to a building member 15, and the vessel rests on the lower end of the bracket and is held as taught in my U.S. Patent 3,186,428 which issued on June 1, 1965.

The inlet conduit has an integrally formed projection or pin 16 extending into its upper end on which a ball 17 rests. This ball is made of plastic and when it rises it `seals, against the shoulder 18 formed by the reduced end 11, thus sealing the inlet conduit and preventing fluid from leaving the vessel by returning through line 12, as will appear. In other words, the ball 17 acts as a one-way check valve and prevents line 12 from emptying when the vessel is opened to atmosphere for dumping of the iluid therein.

A washer 20 is located in the conduit 10 intermediate its length and has a series of apertures 21 which are of such a combined cross sectional area so as to approximately equal the cr-oss sectional area of the reduced end 11. I have found that an internal diameter of 9/16 for the end.11 and a `diameter of 1/s for each of the apertures 21 is very desirable.

The conduit 10 is formed in two sections 10a and 10b, `and the washer 20 is iirmly held therebetween. The sections are detachably held together in sealed relationship by the two threaded collars 25 and 26 which draw the split rings 27 and 28 and collar 29 together and toward each other and cause the rubber gaskets `30 and 31 to bear tightly against the conduit 10.

General A vacuum conduit 33 is formed integrally in the top of the vessel and extends at an incline therefrom. An enlarged portion 33a prevents iluid from being sucked into the attached vacuum conduit 34 as taught in my co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 443,055, filed Mar. 26, 1965 now Patent 3,310,061 and entitled Milk Line Equipment and reference may be had to that application of a more complete explanation of the position and shape of the vacuum inlet if thought to be either necessary or desirable.

Means are provided for alternately subjecting the vessel to vacuum to thereby draw fluid through inlet conduit 12 to fill the vessel, and then subjecting the vessel to atmospheric pressure to cause the iluid to dump via conduit 3 into the tank T. This means includes a slide valve V, and if further reference to it is deeme-d desirable, reference may be had to said co-pending application Ser. No. 464,628, now patent 3,273,514.

Inlet means operation In operation, a timer 35 is set to provide the desired interval of time during which the vessel is subjected to vacuum. During this time, the dump valve 4 is closed and fluid is drawn from the conduit 12 into the vessel. As the uid is passing through the inlet conduit 10, the apertures 21 of disc 20 cause it to follow the entire interior wall of the vessel, that is, it distributes the fluid evenly around the interior ofthe Vessel. This prevents the fluid from pounding against the bottom of the vessel. This gentle handling of the uid is important when handling milk because excessive churning tends to turn the milk into butter. This distributing action is also desirable when a cleaning solution is being handled to insure complete cleaning action. During this time ball 17 just sets on pin 16 and permits liuid to ow downwardly past it.

When the vessel is substantially full, the timer then causes a solenoid S to shift the valve, thus placing the vessel under atmospheric pressure. This immediately permits valve 4 to open and dump iluid. At the same time ball 17 rises and immediately closes oi conduit 12. The rising of` the ball 17 is facilitated and insured by the washer 20 which causes the formation of a pool of uid in the upper portion of inlet conduit 10, thus causing a suicient oating action of ball 17 tofpermit it to immediately be drawn up to block conduit, 1.2. 11.1 other words, the washer having the circumferentially spaced apertures retards the downward flow of fluid sufficiently to permit it to build up slightly above the `washer and lets the ball 17 go up quickly to check the return ow back through conduit 12.

The present invention provides a highly eicient, fast acting, simple apparatus with no moving parts in the fluid other than the one ball 17, and which can be easily and `completely cleaned-in-place after being used to convey iiuid from one location to another.

The-present invention is operative even if the vessel is not in the vertical position as shown. For example, if the vessel is tipped degree so that it is horizontally disposed, the ooding action of the upper chamber due to the multi-perforated disc having small apertures, is nevertheless effective. There is still obtained the pressure differential between the inlet and outlet of the check apparatus at the top of the vessel.

The improved inlet check device not only creates the desired pressure differential, but also functions to insure complete coverage of the interior walls of the device.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are coritemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. Fluid conveying apparatus comprising, a vessel having a iiuid inlet conduit and an outlet conduit, means for subjecting said vessel alternately to vacuum and atmosphere, said fluid inlet conduit having a one-way check ball being the sole means to prevent return flow of uid from said vessel through said inlet conduit,sad outlet conduit having a one-way ii-uid discharge valve which closes when said vesselis subjected to vacuum and opens when said vessel is open to atmosphere, and a disc in said inlet conduit between said one-Way check ball and said vessel, said disc having a series of circumferentially spaced apertures therethrough to cause a fluid build up beneath said ball and floating of the latter to facilitate upward movement thereof to the closing posit tion, said multi-apertured disc also acting to distribute the fluid around the vessel as it ilows into` the vessel.

2. Apparatus as dened in claim 1 further characterized in that the total cross sectional area of said apertures is approximately equal to thev cross sectional area of said inlet conduit.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said outlet conduit is a exible conduit, and said fluid `discharge valve comprises, a rigid sleeve extending from the lower end of said outlet conduit, a check ball in said sleeve, a stop in said sleeve and located on the side of said ball opposite to said conduit end, whereby when said vessel is subjected to vacuum said ball is sucked upwardly to close said conduit end, and when said vessel is subjected to atmospheric pressure said` ball drops away from said conduit end and against said stop.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further characterized in that the total cross sectional area of said apertures is approximately equal to the cross sectional area of said inlet conduit.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 452,308 5/1891 Lee 103--262 X 2,206,534 7/1940 Higbee 103--236 X 2,801,592 8/'1957 Barton 103-236 X 3,052,190 9/1962 Bender 103-236 3,224,413 12/1965 Patterson 1l9-14.l8 X 3,227,139 l/l966 Gass et al 119-17 3,228,374 1/1966 Sampson et al. 103--236 X 3,273,514 9/1966 Bender 103-236 DONLEY I. STOCKING, Primary Examiner.

W. J. KRAUSS Assistant Examiner. 

1. FLUID CONVEYING APPARATUS COMPRISING, A VESSEL HAVING A FLUID INLET CONDUIT AND AN OUTLET CONDUIT, MEANS FOR SUBJECTING SAID VESSEL ALTERNATELY TO VACUUM AND ATMOSPHERE, SAID FLUID INLET CONDUIT HAVING A ONE-WAY CHECK BALL BEING THE SOLE MEANS TO PREVENT RETURN FLOW OF FLUID FROM SAID VESSEL THROUGH SAID INLET CONDUIT, SAID OUTLET CONDUIT HAVING A ONE-WAY FLUID DISCHARGE VALVE WHICH CLOSES WHEN SAID VESSEL IS SUBJECTED TO VACUUM AND OPENS WHEN SAID VESSEL IS OPEN TO ATMOSPHERE, AND A DISC IN SAID INLET CONDUIT BETWEEN SAID ONE-WAY CHECK BALL AND SAID VESSEL, SAID DISC HAVING A SERIES OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED APERTURES THERETHROUGH TO CAUSE A FLUID BUILD UP BENEATH SAID BALL AND FLOATING OF THE LATTER TO FACILITATE UPWARD MOVEMENT THEREOF TO THE CLOSING POSITION, SAID MULTI-APERTURED DISC ALSO ACTING TO DISTRIBUTE THE FLUID AROUND THE VESSEL AS ITS FLOWS INTO THE VESSEL. 